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South Africa’s Political Intelligence Platform

KNOW BEFORE
YOU VOTE.

50+ parties. One election. Zero confusion.
VOTA cuts through the noise — unbiased breakdowns of what parties say, what they actually do, and who to follow to stay sharp.

Registered Parties
27M
Registered Voters
9
Provinces
257
Municipalities
National Elections ✦Municipal Elections ✦What They Promise ✦What They Deliver ✦Unbiased. Always. ✦Know Before You Vote ✦50+ Parties Tracked ✦Your Vote. Your Choice. ✦ National Elections ✦Municipal Elections ✦What They Promise ✦What They Deliver ✦Unbiased. Always. ✦Know Before You Vote ✦50+ Parties Tracked ✦Your Vote. Your Choice. ✦
Everything you need to vote with confidence
01

Party Profiles

Deep breakdowns of every registered party — ideology, key policies, track record, funding, and the things they’ve actually said.

Unbiased
02

Promises vs Receipts

What parties promised versus what they delivered. Manifesto commitments tracked against parliamentary and delivery records.

Fact-Checked
03

Side-by-Side Compare

Pick any two parties and compare them across economy, housing, education, healthcare, safety and more.

Interactive
04

Political Voices

Curated analysts, journalists, and commentators who make politics understandable — across all platforms.

Curated
05

Municipal Coverage

Track ward councillors, metro performance, and local candidates. Your local vote matters more than you think.

Local Focus
06

Find My Party Quiz

Answer a few questions on the issues you care about. We’ll show you which parties most closely align with your values.

Personalised

STAY IN THE KNOW.

No spin. No party lines. Clear, accessible political updates in your inbox.

Know who’s on the ballot

Every registered party — ideology, policies, leaders, and record.

Put them side by side

Select any two parties and see how they differ on the issues that matter most.

VS
Topic
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Promises vs Reality

What parties promised versus what they actually did. The receipts don’t lie.

How to vote with confidence

Everything you need to know — from registering to what happens on election day. In plain language.

How to choose who to vote for
  • Read their manifestoNot just the slogans. What are their top 3 concrete policy promises?
  • Check their delivery recordIf they’ve held power before — what did they actually do? Use the Receipts page.
  • Follow the moneyParty funding declarations reveal whose interests they may represent.
  • Who are their actual leaders?The person at the top sets the tone. Research their background and history.
  • What’s their local plan?National promises are one thing. What do they say about your municipality?
How the voting system works
  • Proportional RepresentationYour vote goes to the party, not the person. Seats allocated by % of votes.
  • Two ballot papersOne for the National Assembly, one for your Provincial Legislature. You can split your vote.
  • Municipal elections differWard vote (specific candidate) + proportional vote (party). Ward councillors control local services.
  • Registration is requiredCheck your status at elections.org.za. You can only vote at your registered station.
  • Bring your IDGreen barcoded ID book or Smart ID card. No ID, no vote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You receive two separate ballot papers — one for the National Assembly and one for the Provincial Legislature. You can vote for the same party on both, or different parties.
Parties negotiate to form a coalition or Government of National Unity (GNU). This happened in 2024 when the ANC fell below 50%.
Yes. Your vote is constitutionally protected as secret. Ballot papers are not linked to your name or ID. No one can find out how you voted.
Visit any IEC office with your ID document. You can also check or update your registration at elections.org.za. Registration is free.
Yes. Vote at South African embassies and consulates during the special voting period. You must register your intention with the IEC in advance.
People who make politics make sense

Analysts, journalists, and commentators vetted for credibility and clarity — across all platforms.

National · Provincial · Municipal

Election Date

29 May

2024 General Election. First since 1994 where ANC fell below 50%.

Voter Turnout

58.6%

Of 27.6 million registered voters. Lowest turnout since 1994.

Parties Contested

52

Registered parties contested. Fraction won NA seats.

Result

GNU

Government of National Unity formed. ANC, DA, IFP and others.

PartyVote %ShareNA Seats

Next Municipal Election

2026

Date to be confirmed by IEC. Registration is ongoing.

Municipalities

257

8 metros, 44 district, 205 local municipalities.

Ward Seats

4 458

Individual ward councillor seats contested.

Last Municipal

2021

ANC lost majority in Joburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni.

Your water supply, electricity, road maintenance, refuse collection, housing approvals — all controlled at the municipal level. Many South Africans experience the consequences of local governance far more directly than national policy. Your local vote is often the most powerful one you cast.

System Type

PR + Ward

Proportional Representation nationally. Mixed system locally.

Minimum to Win

50%+1

Need more than half of all seats to govern alone.

Ballot Papers

2–3

National: 2 ballots. Municipal: up to 3 ballots.

Election Body

IEC

Independent Electoral Commission. Constitutionally independent.

Which party matches your values?

Answer 8 questions. We’ll show which parties align with what you care about. No data stored without consent.

Question 1 of 8
Question 01
Your closest match
All Party Matches
Why we built this
South Africa has 50+ political parties. Most voters know fewer than five.

We built VOTA because every South African deserves to make an informed vote — regardless of education level, political background, or how much time they have to research.

Politics shouldn’t require a degree to understand. Manifestos shouldn’t need a lawyer to decode. And the gap between what parties promise and what they deliver shouldn’t be a secret.

VOTA is strictly non-partisan. We apply the same scrutiny to every party. We have no affiliation, accept no political advertising, and our methodology is publicly available.

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Unbiased, always

Identical criteria applied to every party. No favourites, no enemies.

📎

Everything is sourced

Every claim links to an original source — manifestos, Hansard, auditor reports.

🗣️

Plain language

Written for a 16-year-old, useful for a professor. Accessible without being patronising.

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Local matters

We cover municipalities and wards, not just national parliament.

Party scores on Economy, Delivery, and Transparency are calculated from: Auditor-General reports, parliamentary attendance records, manifesto tracking databases, StatsSA service delivery surveys, and IEC financial disclosure reports. Scores are reviewed and updated annually.

STAY IN THE KNOW.

Weekly political updates. No spin.